Printing apparatus suitable for printing telegraphic messages



April 21, 1925.

F. G. CREED PRINTING APPARATUS SUITABLE FOR PRINTING TELEGRAPHIC MESSAGES Filed Aug. '7, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 21, 1925. 1,534,164

F. G. CREED PRINTING APPARATUS SUITABLE FOR PRINTING TELEGRAPHIG MESSAGES Filed Auez. 7, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 21, 1925. 1,534,164

F. G. CREED PRINTING APPARATUS SUITABLE FOR PRINTING TELEGRAPHIC MESSAGES Filed Aug. 7, 920 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 21, 1925. 1,534,164

F. G. CREED PRINTING APPARATUS SUITABLE FOR PRINTING TELEGRAPHIC MESSAGES Filed Aug. '7, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 P atentedApr. 21, 1925., 1

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I FREDERICK GEORGE. CREED, 0F CROYDONFENGLAND.

P BINTING APIEARATUS SUITABLE FOR PRINTING TELEGRAPHIC MESSAGES.

Application filed August 7, 1920. Serial No. 401,991.

(GRANTED UNDER THE IROVISIONS OF THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1921, 41 STAT. I, 1813.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK GEORGE CREED, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Croydon, in the county of Surrey, England, have invented Improvements in or- Relating to Printing Apparatus Suitable for Printing Telegraphic Messages (for which I have filed application in Great Britain Aug. 6, 1919, No. 19,424, Patent No. 164,370 sealed 1921), of which the following is a specification.

In printing telegraph systems or appara: tus, it has heretofore been proposed to use in conjunction with a rotary printing wheel or carrier provided with type characters, means, comprising selecting mechanism, whereby the printing wheel or carrier can be arrested in the correct printing position and caused to print a character corresponding to the electric signal received and driving mechanism for afterwards moving it forward rapidly.

The present invention has reference to printing. apparatus specially suitable for use in connection with selecting mechanism designed for the reproduction, in ordinary printed characters, of telegraphic messages in the form of perforations in a tape but parts of which apparatus are also suitable for use in connection with selecting mechanism designed to be operated under the direct control of electric signal impulses.

The objectof the invention is to simplify the construction and improve the working of printing apparatus for the purpose referred to and also of the selecting mechanism and operating mechanism used therewith, so as to enable such apparatus to work at high speed and with great precision. e

For this purpose in printing apparatus according to the invention, the printing wheel or carrier provided with type characters, is driven by friction from a shaft arranged to be rotated in such a manner and at such a speed relatively to the main operating or controlling shaft that for each operation or cycle of operations of the apparatus, the printing wheel or carrier (hereinafter called the printing wheel) can, under the control of selecting mechanism and without affecting rotation of the main shaft, be arrested in such a position as to admit of a character corresponding to a rested in position for the next required printing or spacing operation. By this arrangement the printing wheel with type characters can be made very light and, being free to be, stopped independently of its driving shaft, it can be arrested in the correct printing or spacing position, even when moving very rapidly, in such a manner that little or no shock, jar or vibration will result, thus enabling the apparatus to be worked rapidly and good printed impressions to be obtained.

The type characters can be arranged in various ways on the printing wheel. Thus, according to one example, they may conveniently be provided on a series of separate blades mounted to oscillate on the printing wheel after the manner of type levers, and

each adapted, after being brought into and held in the correct printing position by the action of selecting mechanism, to be moved into position to make an impression on a strip or sheet of paper by a striker adapted to be brought into action for each rotation or operation of the apparatus.

For arresting the printing wheel in the correct angular position for printing, it may be provided with an arm arranged at right angles to its axis and so as to revolve in a path into which one or other of a series of selector bars, corresponding to the type characters, or to a space, can be moved so as to arrest the rotation of the printing wheel without arresting its driving shaft, owing to the slip which then takes place between the two. The selector bars are arranged to be brought into the operative position under the control of selecting mechanism that can be of various kinds but which may conveniently be of the kind comprising differentially notched combs,

preferably of annular or disc form arranged I m5 parallel and co-axially and adapted to be set relatively to one another by operating or setting means under the control of perforated tape, or of mechanism under the direct control of the electric signalling impulses received, to suit the character to be printed, or the space to be formed. Then the combs are of annular or disc form' they may be set by turning any one or more of them relatively to the others to the desired extent.

The operating or setting means referred to, may advantageously comprise a series of parallel blades each arranged to operate, or to permit of the setting of one of the combs and to be itself operated or set by mechanism under the control of punched tape, or of electric signalling impulses acting through electro-magnetic devices. In the former case, the printing apparatus is operated and controlled entirely by mechanically operated means. In the latter case, the printing apparatus is operated and controlled partly by mechanical means and partly by electro-magnetic means under the control, it may be, of electric relays.

The spacing of the paper without printing a character thereon, that is to say, to form spaces, can be provided for-in various ways, as for instance by preventing relative movement between the printing wheel or a type lever and p the paper when the printing wheel is arrested by the selector bar corresponding to a space.

In each case, the arrangement is such that with the exception of the operations of finding the selector bar and arresting the printing wheel to enable the printing of a. character, or the forming of a space, to take place, the whole cycle of operatlons namely effecting the printing or spacing, withdrawing the selector bar used for arresting the printing wheel, returning and re-setting the discs or combs, or equivalent, and setting a new selector is carried out very quickly, say in one fifth of 'a revolution of the main shaft. It will thus be seen that if the secondary shaft used for directly driving the printing wheel be arranged to revolve say about 30% to 35% faster than the main shaft of the apparatus and this is a feature of the invention, there will always be time for the radial arm of the printing wheel, after it has been released by one selector, to engage the next selectort a t is set in its path, and be held thereby until printing or spacing has again taken place andthus for the mechanism to print a letter or form a space at each revolution of the main shaft.

The very rapid resetting of the notched discs'or combs or equivalent, which is also a feature of the invention is-rendered possible by allowing that disc or comb, or those discs or combs, or equivalent used in the last selection to snap back under the pull of .its or their spring or springs, on the withdrawal of the selector from their notches during the small fiaction of time that the operatin or setting means, for instance the bifurcated ends of the parallel blades. above I referred to, are coming forward with the new selection or arrangement set up by the perforated tape, or it may be by electro-magnetiic means under direct control of line signa s. or equivalent, the parallel blades are immediately free to be returned to their normal position ready to take part in a new selection. A method of such selection of the parallel blades is explained in the previous specifications hereinafter referred to.

From the foregoing description it will be After resetting the combs or discs.

4. is a cross section of part of the selecting mechanism on the line IV--IV of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the printing apparatus combined with operating or setting mechanism controlled by perforated telegraphic tape. Figs. 6 and 7 aredetail view-"sat right angles to one anothershowing a printing wheel. Fig. 8 is a view of another detail.

In this example, the printing wheel comprises a hollow hub a provided with two annular flanges a a The inner flange a has connected'to it a radial arm I) and is pressed, it may be, as in the example shown, through the boss b of the radial arm, into frictional contact with theouter side of the outer end wall or cap 0 of a hollow head piece 03. This may conveniently be done by a spring late that bears against the inner face 0 the said end wall 0, encircles aifaxial prolongationa of the wheel hub a extending into the said head, and is set up by nuts f screwed on the said hub prolongation.

The radial arm I) is provided at its outer end with a lateral blade g'arranged to rotate around the periphery of the hollow head (1. The outer flange a of the printing wheel is provided on its outer side, near its periphcry, with an annular series of radial grooves h forming an annular comb, and towards its centre with an annular rib or seat z to serve as a fulcrum ring. Into the radial grooves extend a series of levers 7c in the form of short thin blades each notched on its rear or inner edge, near its inner end, and seated on the annular fulcrum ring 21. As shown more clearly in Figs. 6 and 7, the wheel hub Each of the levers his provided on its outer side, near to its outer end, with a type cl1ar I vice but are each capable of being acter m and is hereinafter called a type lever. The type levers are normally held in their inoperative positionsby a spring Eliein ependently. turned in an outward direction on the fulcrum ring i towards a paper supporting platen n. The spring device may conveniently be a recessed disc having its edge pressed against the said type levers k by a coiled spring n that extends through the hollow hub w of the printing wheef and is connected to the central portion of the recessed disc as by a headed pin r and .to the axial prolongation a of the said hub, as by 'a transverse pin 8. A printing wheelconstructed as described is very light and can be moved quickly and stopped easily without undueshock of jar, whilst each of the independent type leversiis very lightnand. has only a very small operative -movement,

namely a small fraction of an inch, so that it can take place in a very short time.

The platen 01. may, as shown, conveniently be in the form of a roller mounted on a i also journalled in the said cylinder at u comprises, according to the example now be-" to the axis of the printing wheel with its axis at a height corresponding substantially to the centre of the height of each type character m when in its uppermost ,printing position. v

The hollow head (i is provided with a boss (Z journalled in a hollow stationary cylinder u and fixed to a horizontal driving shaft 4) (herein called the secondary shaft) andiin an end,bearing .w in a standard w carried by a base plate y. The cylinder at is provided at one end with a flange '21? supported within another standard'ao on the base plate. The other end of the cylinder is stepped at u and provided with a tubular extension 10* held in another standard Z on the base plate y. The secondary driving shaft '0 is driven from the main driving shaft 2 of the apparatus through toothed gearing, for instance bevel and spur gear gearing 3 and 3* respectively, in such manner that its speed is, for the purpose hereinbefore explained, greater say 30% to 35% greater, than that of the main driving shaft 2, which is desi ed to make one revo lution for each comp ete operation or cycle of movements-of the apparatus.

' The selecting mechanlsm used for arresting the printing wheel (1 (1 a in correct position for stoppingthe appropriate type lever is in its uppermost or printing. position ing described, a series of differentially notched annular discs .or combs 4 .(hereipafter referred to'as combs) mounted to turn to a small extent upon the stationary hollow K r cylinder u. These combs are spaced apart and held in position axially by distance and spacing rings 5 between the end flange u of the cylinder u and a removable radially notched annular end plate 6 which, in conjunction with anouter plate 7, having'an axially arranged annular rinr 7 and a washer 8, is fixed in place on the stepped portion u of the cylinder by nuts 9 screwed on such stepped portion. Arranged around the notched combs 4 are the horizontal arms 10 of an annular series of IL-shaped selectors 10- 10 in the form of levers that'extend through the radial slots in the removable plate 6 and at their forward endsthrough radial slots 11 cut in the flange 119 at the opposite end of the cylinder. The selector levers; which are made as steel blades, are

notched at 10 to admit of their being fulcrummed on the annular rib 7 of the said outer plate 7 and have their other and shorter arms 10 extending radially inward the stationary cylinder u. Each of the selector levers 1010 normally is pressed against an unnotched portion of one or more of the'combs 4 by a coiled spring 10 c0n- 'nected to an extension 10 of the lever and towards the tubular axial extension at of to a ring 12 fixed to the standard 03 carrying the flanged end of the stationary cylin der u, so that when the discs or combs are set under the action of punched tape as here inafter described, or of electric signal controlled mechanism, one or other of the long arms 10 of the said selector levers 10-10 can descend into an aligned set of notches in the combs, formed by the relative setting of the combs, and bring its forward free end into the path of the lateral blade extension 9 of the radial arm I) connected to the printing wheel a, a so as to arrest the wheel with the corresponding printing lever k in position for printing. The long arms 10 of the selector levers 1O1() are moved away from the peripheries of the notched combs, 4, to allow of re-setting of these. combs, by a sleeve 13 that is moved endways on the extension u. of the cylinder u at the predetermined times and caused to press against the shorter arms 10 of the selector levels. The, sleeve is moved endways by the forked upper end of a lever 14 that is pivoted at its lower end at 15 to a bracket 16 on the base plate 3/ and is moved into its operative position, against the action of a returning spring 17, by a rotary cam 18 fixed to the main driving shaft 2 and acting on the lever through a roller 14.

the notched combs 4 to correspond to the character to be printed or for spacing, can

be variously constructed. According to the arrangement shown, each comb 4 is provided with a depending lever arm 19 that is normally held by a spring 19 against a fixed abutment 19" (Fig. 1), and is ada ted to engaged by the bifurcatedend o one of a series of parallel blades or plate adapted to be reciprocated and set after the manner and by means such as described for examples 7 in the specifications of British Letters Patlicationsof British Letters Patent Nos. 8999 of 1907 and1947 of 1908 for reciprocatin 7 and setting, under the control of punche tape. the series of perforated valve'platesi and their extensions Z" described in these latter specifications.

Apparatus of the type d cribed and shown in the last mntioned specifications is shown diagrammatically and collectively at A in Fig. 5 of the-accompanying drawings,

-B being a series of suitably guided slide plates connected to-therespective parallel blades 20 used for setting the notched combs i and adapted to be themselves set in the required relative positions by a: series of links C adapted to be, brought into an operative position byv selector bars D under the control of perforated telegraphic tape E and to be then moved endways by lateral movement of a vertically movable rack F in gear with tape feedin mechanism G. The arrangement is suc that the parallel blades 20will at each rotation of the main driving shaft 2 of the apparatus be adjusted end ways to occupy relative positions corresponding to the letter or other character, or to a space, in the portion of the perforated tape E being dealt with at each operation of the apparatus and which character is to be reproduced as a printed character on a strip or sheet of paper by the printing wheel a a a and the corresponding type lever is, or

which space is to be lefton the printed strip or sheet between or after characters thereon.

Or the said series of parallel blades 20 ma be reciprocated and set by electro-ma etically controlled inechanism under the irect action of electric signalling ap aratus after the manner for instance in w' 'ch parallel notched or permutation bars have been reciprocated and set in yarious known arrangements of electro-magnetically controlled telegraph printing apparatus. Whatever means he used for reciprocating and setting the parallel blades 20, one or more of the notched combs 4 will foreach com lete rotation of the maindrivmg shaft 2 an operation of the a paratns, be partly rotated so as to cause-a ignment of notchesin the respective combs and enable the co nding selector leverv arm 10 to enter theahgned notches and brin its forward free end mto the path of the total projection g on the held in its uppermost position radial arm 6 attached to the printing wheel lever L- in proper position for use,

Each type lever A when brou ht into and or printing, is moved laterally to print the corresponding character on a strip or sheet of paper by a striker, operated at the, appropriate mo: ment from a moving part of the apparatus.

'For thispurpose the striker may be constituted by a projection 21 carried by the bent upper arm 22 of a two armed lever 22-22 mounted to turn about a horizontal axis at 23. The lower arm 22?. of the lever is connected to one end of a link 24 the outer end of which is connected to a lever 25 arranged to be operated at the appropriate moment' through a roller 25 by a cam 26 on the main driving shaft 2. The connection of the link :24 to one of the levers, conveniently to the twoarmed lever 22-22 carr ing the striker :21, may be effected throng two springs 2T--2T encircling the link and arranged at;

opposite sides of the lever arm 22 and between adjustable collars 28, 28" on the link. The arrangement is such that the striker 21 will be operated through an elastic or yielding connection and that the position of the striker in relation to the printing wheel and the strength of the blow, can be adjusted to suit requirement.

t. For leaving spaces between printed characters, and for spacing general the printing wheel a, a, a may be formed with a blank space oropening which, when brou ht opposite'the striker 21 by the action of t at one of selector levers 10 10 representing the space selector lever, will enable the striker to make an idle forward movement.-

Or other device may be adopted to enable spaces to be for-med at the required times. F The paper on which the characters are printed,'and spaces left, may be in the form of a paper strip 30 arranged to be drawn, in a step by step manner, across the cyhnder or roller n forming the platen hereinbefore referred to, by a pair of drawing or feed rollers 31-31 that are pressed together sideways by-springs 32 and rotated in a ste v by step manner by feed mechanism 0 rate at the appropriate times. The feed mechanism' may comprise a ratchet wheel 33 fixed to one end of the rollers 31 and a spring pawl 34 fixedto a vertical spindle 35 arranged to be rocked, as through a lever 36, from a camv37 on the main drivin shaft 2- The roller or laten n is carried by a standard 38 from t e base plate 'v and can beturned by hand from time to time,

or it may be revolved automatically by gearing.

The inking of the type characters m can be effected by an inking roller 39 carried by aisprin blade 40 mounted on a stationary part o the apparatus, the roller bearing against the annular set of type characters m as the printing wheel a a a is rotated Or, if desired, an inking ribbon may be associated with the paper strip against which the type characters act.

For page printing a platen carrying carriage may be employed, moved as "regards letter feed, line shift, line feed and message feed, in any known or suitable way.

The arrangement of the machine des cribed is such that each time the arm 10 of a selector lever 10-10 is allowed to enter an aligned set of notches in the combs 4 under the control of punched tape or electric im pulses as described, its free end will enter the path of the lateral blade 9 o the radial arm b connected to the printin wheel a a a and arrest this wheel with the corresponding type lever k in its uppermost position, slip taking place between the printing wheel and the hollow head d on the secondary driving shaft 0 carrying the latter, so that,.,the head and shaft continue their rotation. After the printing or spacing is effected, the selector lever 10 110 that was effective is moved into' its inoperative position by the sliding sleeve 13, the combs 4 are immediately reset for the next printing or spacing operation by" the parallel blades 20, and the printing wheel is again moved forward by the said liead and shaft by friction until it is again arrested by a selector lever 1010 as described. The

whole cycle of operations is effected very quickly and duringa small part only of a revolution of the main driving shaft 2 as and for the purpose hereinbefore explained.

What Iclaim is: L'Printing apparatus of the kind herein referred to, comprising a main driving shaft, a secondaryJ driving shaft driven from said main shaft but at a eater velocity than that of said main sha t, a printing device in frictional driving connection with said secondary shaft and provided with type characters, type selecting mechanism comprising a series of different tially notched combs and a series of selector bars adapted to c'o-operate therewith, each 1 printing device in proper printed, .or a space to be left, means adapted to be quickly operated at each rotation of the mam shaft to cause a printingcharacter that maybe in position, rapidly to make an impression on said sheet material and means actuated ateach rotation of the main shaft for causing the selector bar quickly to return to its inoperative position and allow displaced combs to return towards their normal position after each printing operation.

' 2. Printing apparatus of the kind herein referred to, comprisin a main driving shaft, a secondary driving shaft driven from said main shaft but at 'a greater velocity than that of said main shaft, a printing wheel in frictional driving connection with said secondary shaft, type selecting mechanism comprising a series of differen tially notched combs and a series of selector bars adapted to cooperate therewith, each of said selector bars being adapted, when moved into its operative position, under the control of said combs, to arrest the said printing wheel in proper printing position without stopping the secondary shaft, means for holding said combs in normal position,

-means for moving one or more of said combs ineans, also operated from the main shaft,

- during each rotation thereof, for returning the operative selector bar to its inoperative position and allow displaced combs to return to their normal position.

Q Printing apparatus of the kind herein referred to, comprising a main driving shaft, a secondary driving shaft driven from said main shaft but at a greater velocity than said maiii shaft, a printing device in frictional driving connection with said secondary shaft, type selectin mechanism adapted to be set to hold sai printing de-- vice in proper printing or spacing position,

means for setting said selecting mechanlsm, 7

signal controlled mechanism operated at each rotation of said main shaft to operate said setting meanscand means for causing said selecting mechanism suddenly to return to normal position after each printing or spacing operation, said setting means being adapted to move mto its operative position whilst the selectin mechanism is moving into its normal position for the purpose setforth'.

4. Printing apparatus of the kindherein referred to, comprising a main driving ,shaft, a secondary driving shaft'driven from said main shaft but at a greater velocity than said main shaft, a printing wheel in frictional contact with said secondary shaft, selecting mechanism comprisinga series of differentially notched combs and a series-of s-spring controlled selector bars adapted to vcooperate therewith, each of said selector bars being adapted, when moved into its operative position, under control of said combs, to arrest the printing wheel in proper position for; printing or spacing without 1 returning saidselector bars to their inopstopping said secondary shaft, means for erative position against their spring con; trolling means Immediately after each printing or spacing operation and releasing said combs, means for suddenly returning displaced and released combs to normal position, av series of bars adapted to set the combs for printing particular characters or for spacing, and signal controlled mechanism operated at each rotation of said main shaft and adapted to move said setting bars into their operative position to form the proper selection of combs to correspond with 26 the signal being dealt with by the signal controlled apparatus, whilst displaced combs are being returned to normal position.

i 5. Printing apparatus of the kind herein referred to, comprising a main driving 30 shaft,-a secondary driving shaft driven from but at a greater speed-than said driving shaft and provided with a driving head, a type carrylng printing wheel in frictional driving connection with the said head and provided with aradial arm, a laten for supporting sheet materials to 'be 1m ressed, a stationary cylindrical support, a series of differentially notched annular combs mounted to turn to a small extent upon the cylin- 49 der, spring means for holding each of said combs in normal position, an annular series of spring actuated selector levers arranged around and adapted to bear against and co-actwith the notched combs and each of it which when permitted to enter an aligned set of notches in the combs willcome into a position to arrest-the radial arm and printin wheel, means'operated from the main driving-shaft to cause the selected type on the rinting wheel to make an impression on s set material on said platen, means operated from the driving shaft whereby all the selector levers can at each rotation,

from the mam driving shaft but under the I 'control of punched tape, for immediately causin resetting of thecombe toenable the next 0 aracter to be printed or ace to beformed, substantially as described? a 6. Pnntmg ap aratus f the kind herein referred to, comprising a horizontal main driving shaft, a. horizontal secondary shaft driven from said main shaft but at a greater velocity than said main shaftand having a driving heaifl. a printing wheel coaxial with said secondary shaft and in frictional driving contact with the driving head thereon, said wheel having atradial arm thereon, a

horizontal cylindrical support for said secondary shaft, a. series of differentially notched annular combs rotatably mounted on sald support. a series of sprmgactuated selector levers supported around said combs and adapted to bear against'and co-act with them and each of which when permitted to' enter an aligned set of notches in said combs will come into position to arrest the radial arm and printing wheel, means for causing said printing wheel to print at the required times, means for moving said levers from said combs at the required times, a

setof resetting bars adapted to co-act with said comb and set them in the relative positions-to enable desired characters to, be

' printed or spaces to be left on sheet mate said secondary shaft extends, a driving head i on said secondary shaft, a printing 'wheel coaxial with said secondary shaft in frictional contact with the driving head thereon, means operated fromsaid main shaft for causing type on said printing wheel to print a corresponding character, a series of annular differentially notched combs rotatably' mounted on said support. a series of selector levers mounted on said support around .said combs. springs acting'to hold said combs in normal position, springs acting to force said levers against said "combs, a sleeve movable on said secondary shaft and adapted to act against and move said levers from said combs. means for reciprocating said sleeve on its shaft. and tape controlled means operated from said main shaft and adapted to reset said combs, at each operation. of the apparatus; in accordance with the signal perforations in the tape being dealt with. r 8. Printing apparatusaccording toclaim 2, wherein the printing wheel comprises a boss having two annular flanges one of which is held in frictional driving connection with the secondazly shaft and an annular series of independen y movable type characters mounted on the second flange and held in "Q.

normal position thereon by spring means.

9. Printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the printing Wheel is held in frictional connection with the secondary driving shaft and has an annular series of radial notches therein and a fulcrum ring, an annular series of levers arranged in said notches, fulcrumed on said ring and each carrying a type character and a spring device holding all the type levers normally in position but adapted to admit of any one of them being displaced for printing.

10. Printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the printing wheel comprising a boss held in frictional driving connection with the secondary driving shaft and having an annular series of radial notches thereon and a fulcrum ring an annular series of type levers mounted onsaid ring and extending into all of said notches except one so as to leave a space or gap at the empty notch and a spring device holding all the type levers in normal position in said notches but adapted to admit of any one of them being displaced for printing.

11. A printing Wheel comprising a body having on its outer side an annular series of radial notches therein and a fulcrum ring, an annular series of levers arranged in said notches, fulcrumed on said ring and-each carrying a type character on its outer surface, said type levers extending beyond the outer periphery of said body, and spring means bearing upon said type levers between their outer ends and said fulcrum ring and said ring and extending into all of saizl notches except one so as to leave a space or gap at the empty notch said type levers having type characters on their outer faces and extending beyond the outer periphery of said body and a spring device bearing upon said type levers between their outer ends and said fulcrum ring and acting to hold all of the type levers in normal position in said notches but adapted to admit of any one of them being displaced for printing by means acting from the rear side of said body.

Signed at London, England, this 21st day of July, 1920.

FREDERICK GEORGE OREED. 

